Getting ready.

I have been getting my tree ready for the show at Markham Grange on Sunday.

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I started with the foliage then moved on to mossing up.

Before work.

After I collected the moss it was then applied to the surface of the pot.

I enjoy doing this as it makes the whole composition look very tidy.

I then cleaned the pot as well.

Now looking forward to the show.

To see the full tree come along on Sunday and say hello.

Natter night 18th March 2019.

After the bad weather we had for nearly a week, tonight was a really good night quite mild and calm.

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Only two trees to work on, but good ones.

This Chinese Juniper, which Graham brought to re-wire, was the first one.

He then spent the next three hours putting wire on and did not come close to finishing it. But there is always next week.

Ken brought this Cascading Larch to work on.

Which I helped with, by adding some wire.

It is nice to see new growth coming on the trees.

Maybe spring is almost here, My favorite time of year.

Bonsai Thursday.

Another good morning with Dave, we had a good natter about all sorts of things, then we did a little work on my Hawthorn group planting.

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The work was mainly a clean up after winter.

But we also did some work on the deadwood. I do not think it shows in the photos as it is on the inside of the foliage.

Looking quite good at the moment.

Bonsai Wednesday.

I was asked earlier today if I had any up to date photos of a small Juniper I styled about three years ago, I had so had a look at it and decided to give it a clean up before posting.

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This is the back of the tree before any work.

The front after cleaning.

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Tony W brought this Shohin sized Lonicera to have a go at, so I put some wire on.

After a tweak it now has some shape, then we decided the Jin, bottom left, needed some shape as well.

A little work and it looks much better.

Natter night 11th March 2019.

An early start when Paul M phoned and asked if he could come over about three o'clock, he wanted some help to repot some trees.

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The small one is a Juniper, the larger one a Cotoneaster.

Also this Larch.

This is the Juniper in a new pot.

The Larch, also in a new pot.

The Cotoneaster was planted into a training pot.

Ken M also wanted a tree potted on into a bigger pot, this Cascade Cotoneaster. The small pot was the original one.

Ken's twin trunk needed some work as well.

It needed some of the vast amount of new cones removed.

After a little wire was added and a slight trim.

I guess it is repotting time once more.

Bonsai Thursday with Dave.

When Dave came over yesterday we decided to do another driftwood planting.

After a bit of work on the driftwood it was fixed into the pot, ready for the tree.

Now the tree is prepared by removing unwanted foliage.

Next to be done was to gently comb out the roots and combine with the driftwood in the pot.

All done for now, the styling will come later.

Bonsai Wednesday.

Tonight Tony was playing with the camera so I asked him to take a pic of me with the Taxus I repotted on Monday.

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I don't want to frighten anyone, but to show the size of the tree.

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On Monday Graham brought this, I think it was a Crab Apple, which after inspection was declared dead. I told him I would try to make it grow again and tonight as there was nothing else to do I gave it a go.

It was removed from the pot to inspect the roots, they were dead.

I had these Quince cuttings growing quite good, so decided to make the dead tree into a Tanuki.

I placed the cuttings to see the best position for them.

Then carved the trunk for them to sit in.

They were then placed and tied.

With some help from Tony.

Carefully, I then replanted it back into the same pot.

Now it will be given a lot of care and attention over the coming months.